Free Gaza boats "break" Israeli blockade (News Feature)

By Saud Abu Ramadan Aug 23, 2008, 17:18 GMT

Gaza City - As soon as the thousands of Palestinians waiting at Gaza City's fishermen harbor saw the boats approaching Gaza beach, they started whistling and screaming.

The 'Free Gaza' boats, which had set sail Friday from Cyprus, arrived on Saturday afternoon at the harbor after Israel finally decided to let them cross into Gaza territorial water.

Flags of different countries, including Turkey, Germany, France, Cyprus, Britain, Lebanon and Greece, fluttered on the two boats. On one boat was written 'Freedom for Gaza' and 'We are coming.' On the other, a banner calling for the end of the Israeli occupation.

Upon their arrival, the two boats released 5000 balloons of four colors, black, red, green and white - the colors of the Palestinian flag - and on each balloon was written 'Free Palestine' and a drawing of the dove of peace.

The two boats were carrying medical supplies - hearing aids for deaf Palestinian children - as well as several people: peace activists, a Holocaust survivor and the sister-in-law of former British prime minister Tony Blair.

Several local Gaza fishing boats loaded with people also received the 'Free Gaza' armada, onto which dozens of children and adults jumped to welcome the visitors.

Jamal al-Khodari, head of the group the Popular Committee to End the Siege, was part of the welcoming committee. 'Welcome to Gaza and thank you for breaking the blockade,' he said.

He told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that 'this is a great moment to see people supporting our cause coming to show solidarity with us and to tell the world the message that the unfair siege imposed on the Gaza Strip should end very soon.'

The visitors on the two boats are scheduled to be received by deposed prime minister of Hamas Ismail Haniya as well as leaders of Hamas movement, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since mid-June last year.

Considering the visit to Gaza a first step in ending the blockade imposed on Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas - currently in the West Bank city of Ramallah - telephoned his greetings to the 'Free Gaza' boatpeople.

Haniya also called on Arab leaders to send boats and sea vessels to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade, which was imposed on the Gaza Strip when the Islamic group Hamas took control of the enclave last summer.

Al-Khodari said the boat visitors would be received and hosted in Gaza City, and will meet community leaders to learn about the difficulties resulting from the Israeli blockade.